


What Are 'Family Friends' For?

by NiniAtTheYAC



Series: For Island Fires and Family [1]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Avonlea Fair, Female Friendship, I just wanted Winnie to speak more than a handful of words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-21 02:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21291779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiniAtTheYAC/pseuds/NiniAtTheYAC
Summary: A series of scenes from the fair in 3x06 some from the show some my own addition, in Anne's, GIlbert's, and Winnifred's PoV.I just want Anne and Winnifred to take care of each other.
Relationships: Anne Shirley & Gilbert Blythe, Gilbert Blythe/Winifred Rose
Series: For Island Fires and Family [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1541140
Comments: 7
Kudos: 70





	What Are 'Family Friends' For?

Anne knew that she had no time to spare as she rushed into the tent where all of the fair’s judging would be taking place.

“I’m here! I’m here! I’m-” _oh_. All the air in Anne’s lungs seemed to evaporate as she was met face to face with Gilbert, still arm in arm, with this most beautiful woman. Her heart didn’t just hurt, everything inside of her hurt. Her mouth hung slightly open as she made eye contact with this stranger, with her perfect golden curls and lovely dress. __

_ _“This is Anne, my classmate, and family friend.” Gilbert introduced her without untwining his arm from his apparent sweetheart and Anne wished she could melt. So that’s what she was, not _his_ friend, but his family’s friend. Good to know. __

_ _ _ _“Hello Anne, do you spell it with or without an ‘e’?” Anne couldn’t speak, all she could do was stare and think _‘This is a nightmare. I’m having a nightmare. She’s not just perfectly beautiful, she’s British too!’_ ___ _

_ _ _ _ _ _Gilbert seemed to sense that Anne was not about to respond and filled in the silence for her, “Anne this is my, uh,” Gilbert turned to look at the woman next to him and Anne’s mind made quick work of preparing to fill in that next word _'Intended, Sweetheart, Fiance, Wife'._ She felt that she might be sick. “Um.” Oddly enough, he didn’t seem to know what she was. ___ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _The woman, who had simply been smiling at Anne, seemed startled by Gilbert’s hesitation and looked at him for a moment before taking her title upon herself, removing her arm from Gilberts and extending it to Anne she said, “Um, Winnifred.” _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Anne hated how beautiful her name was. It almost rivaled the beauty of Cordelia. She choked down as much of her pain as she could and forced smile, taking Winnifred’s beautifully gloved hand in her own. It had been years since Anne felt so utterly beneath someone. Thankfully, at that moment her cake, entry number sixteen was called up and she was given an excuse to take back her hand and turn away from the painfully lovely woman before her. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Gilbert was consumed with confusion over Anne. Her face just now had screamed with emotions that he’d never seen in her before. He couldn’t let himself believe that she felt her expressions seemed to say. She looked like her heart was in her hand, being squeezed until the pressure became so great that one could not speak… but that couldn’t be true. Because this was Anne, who wore a resilient heart upon her sleeve that could not be hurt by something so small as meeting Winnifred. Ugh, and then there was that disaster. His blunder introducing her was made worse by the fact that he truly couldn’t answer that question; _What was she to him?_ Gilbert had been so preoccupied with his anxiety and discomfort that he almost didn’t register the judge's reactions to Anne’s cake. Almost. But it would be pretty hard to miss the sight of the three judges spitting out a contestant cake. Not just a sight that is hard to miss, but one that would certainly be hard to forget. “It tastes like… like, Liniment!” Everyone heard the judges exclaim, and all of the crowd burst with laughter. All but those who knew Anne and looked on with variations of sorrow, pity, and worry. ___ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Gilbert looked at Anne’s back as the scene unfolded. He saw her shoulders fall, she stumbled a moment, then ran to escape at the nearest exit she could find. Gilbert didn’t act on thought or reasoning at that moment, if he had he would most likely have thought to behave differently, he acted purely on feeling. Seeing Anne run from the tent in shame and heartbreak reminded him too much of her earliest days in Avonlea when Mr.Phillips made a game of humiliating her and she stormed out of class more than once. He knew that now it took a whole lot more to break Anne far enough that she would flee from her problems, and he felt a painful connection to her pain. Gilbert removed Winnifred’s hand from the crook of his arm so that he could chase after her. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Anne,” he caught sight of her, a vision of ginger and pale blue, she looked like every dream he’d ever had that he wished he could forget. “Anne!” he called after her again. Finally, she stopped and turned around waiting a moment for him to reach her while she regained her breath. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“It’s fine,” she panted then continued. “I’m fine. Honestly, I wish you two every happiness.” Anne looked at him with a pained earnestness. To say that Gilbert was confused would be an understatement. _Was she not upset about her cake fiasco?_ He gave her a questioning glance, then shook his head. ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Well, I was just going to say that,” Gilbert felt momentarily lost. _What was I going to say?_ Her eyes seemed to be screaming for him to say the _right_ words to her at this moment and he was fairly sure that he was going to mess everything up if he failed her now. “Mary would have found that really, really funny.” He couldn’t even look her in the eyes while he said it. Not because it wasn’t the absolute truth, but because there were a thousand other things he would rather have said to her at that moment that he just couldn’t bring himself to say. _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _When he did finally look Anne in the eyes again all he could see was her disappointment. Her eyes were half-lidded and fluttering with the sting of her unshed tears, and he knew that the reassurance he had meant to offer with his comments, had clearly not been enough. Or perhaps just not the thing she needed to hear at all. “Right,” Anne finally sighed. There was so much pain in her voice and face that Gilbert felt like he could almost see behind the veil which she normally hid her heart behind. He thought for a moment that he was seeing a real part of Anne, more than he had seen before. She blinked up at him taking shallow breaths for a long moment then finally choked out a “Thanks,” as she fled. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Gilbert was left to stand in the space which she’d just occupied and watch as she ran from him, yet again. _'God',_ he thought. _ 'Just for once I’d like to do something right by that girl'.______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Anne soon found that there was very little space to mourn one’s broken heart at the vibrant and cheerful grounds of the fair. After a considerable amount of searching Anne found herself a hiding spot between vendors. She sat on a small pile of hay and tried to put herself back together. But Anne’s thoughts were a swirling torment. All she could think about was how beautiful Gilbert’s Lady looked. They were a fine and dapper pairing, she so elegant, and he so dashing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _The thought suddenly struck her _'That’s why he needed Matthew’s cufflinks!'_ She buried her head at that moment and fought to hold back her tears. What an exquisite pain it was, that he should borrow Matthew’s cufflinks so that he might impress the parents of his refined lady. She felt that Gilbert had used them quite poorly and it would be a long time before she would even consider forgiving him. ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _But at the same moment, Anne knew she would forgive him everything and anything if he said that it was her that he loved. Anne wished, more desperately than she had in quite some time, that she had never been orphaned. _'Perhaps, if my parents had lived to raise me, then maybe I could be the kind of refined and beautiful woman that he wants,'_ she thought. _Or, if nothing else, had my parents lived and raised me, I’d likely never have come to Avonlea or Green Gables in the first place and then I’d never have met him._ _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She meant to think of such things as a way of consoling herself, but it was a bitter contemplation because she could not ignore all of the other things in Avonlea that she would have to forfeit in order to avoid meeting Gilbert Blythe. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _By the time that they had reached the evening barn dance at the Avonlea County Fair, Winnifred’s head was nearly spinning from the long day that had been full of excitement. Gilbert had been as much of a gentleman as he knew how to be, the poor orphan, and he had attended to her every need, including the needs that she did not even know she had. But he had been rather reserved about introducing her to his local friends, and then there was that nagging moment when he couldn’t come up with the words to say what she was to him. Though she simply moved past it in the moment it had been on her mind all day. All that Winnifred could do was wonder what she was to him. _'For Christ’s sake,' she thought. 'He met my parents today! What does that boy think we are?'__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _At this moment he had strayed from her side to fetch her a refreshment, but truly she had only asked him for it as a way of escaping his gaze for a moment. “Excuse me,” a kind voice stirred her from her thoughts. “Winnifred? I’m terribly sorry if I was rude when we met earlier.” Winnie looked up to the kind face of the girl whom Gilbert had introduced earlier as his ‘classmate and family friend’. She could still see the girl flinch at the title he had given her. The young girl extended her hand “Anne,” she said. “With an ‘e’.” _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Winnie couldn’t hate this slip of a girl, who Gilbert had abandond her to run after earlier in the day. Winnifred had always been endeared to kind and spirited women, Anne seemed to be both of those things. “Pleasure to see you again, Anne,” she said, shaking the girl's hand. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I must tell you, in complete earnest, that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen Miss. Winifred,” Anne said. “You are precisely the pinnacle of my dreams, though I admit I’ve always fancied that I should want raven-colored locks, your golden hair is simply divine.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“You are far too kind Anne, and please call me Winnie. All my friends do.” She smiled Anne genuinely, but the poor girl seemed to flinch at something in her words._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Well, that is very kind of you, but apparently I am not even Gilbert’s friend, merely his ‘family friend’, so I should hardly assume such a closeness with you,” Winnifred could not help the shocked laughter that escaped her at Anne’s remark. _'Does this girl hear herself before she speaks?'_ Winnie wondered. She had never met a woman, other than herself, who spoke so openly.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Yes, well, although he met my parents today, apparently I am absolutely nothing to him which can be defined,” Winnifred responded in a lower voice leaning towards Anne to avoid being overheard. Anne gasped and then laughed at Winnifred’s words, and they both felt some of the pain they’d been carrying all day fall away. "But I shouldn't think that we need Gilbert's permission to be good friends. I like you already immensely Anne." The girls smiled, and then a questioning look overcame Anne's face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“If you don’t mind my asking,” she said. “How _do_ you know Gilbert?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“I work in Doctor Wards office with GIlbert.” Anne’s eyes lit up at this._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“You have a career? Oh, there is nothing I dream of more- or well- that is- I” Anne stuttered and faltered seeming to recollect something at that moment she blinked her shining eyes to clear them before she continued. “I would love to have a career someday. It must be positively exhilarating to have such a wonderful and independent purpose in the world!” Winnie was gratified by her admiration and smiled. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“It is rather lovely to think of it in such a way.” She paused, considering Anne for a moment, “You have so much spirit in you Miss Anne, I believe that your life must have a purpose no matter where you go.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Anne smiled sadly. “Well, more often than not it seems that my soul purpose in life should be to ruin perfectly nice things and stand beside lovely girls to make them appear lovelier by comparison.” Winnifred was shocked by her self-deprecation. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Certainly not! You are the beautiful girl with hair so wonderfully unique that it could never be forgotten!” Winnie absolutely meant what she said. What she thought but did not say was that Anne was the beautiful girl with hair so wonderfully unique that it had most certainly captured Gilbert's attention and that had not gone without some jealousy on Winnifred’s part. Anne blushed nearly as red as the hair on her head and smiled brightly, and Winnie felt good to be responsible for the joy of this kind soul. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _She looked up and unfortunately, Winnie saw every moment and movement in her face as Anne caught sight of Gilbert. Her face held all of her heart. Winnifred found that she could feel the poor girl's love for him. She could hear her heartbreaking. She could taste the bitter rejection that filled Anne’s soul. Winnifred felt miserable for her responsibility in Anne’s pain. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Hello ladies,” Gilbert said approaching them both with a kind and joyful smile. “Thank you, Anne, for keeping Winnie company in my absence.” Winnifred winced at his blindness. “Here’s your lemonade, you would not believe the journey that was required to find it.” He laughed while handing her the dainty cup. Winnifred knew that this was the appropriate moment to thank him for his kindness, but her throat caught when she looked back to Anne just in time to see her face change. It was as if Gilbert had walked up to them, seen Anne, this shining beacon of a girl, and carelessly blown out the light inside of her. There was suddenly no life in her eyes. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Anne looked down, Winnifred suspected to avoid Gilbert seeing the tears beginning to fog her eyes. “Thank you, Miss. Winnifred for your kind words, the pleasure was mine. I hope you’ve found Avonlea to be enjoyable. Excuse me.” And with that, the enchanting girl was gone. Winnifred found herself at a loss for words. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Gilbert seemed to presume that her silence was a result of her taking offense to Anne’s abrupt leaving, he tried to offer apologies on the girls' behalf. “I’m sorry, Anne is a bit flighty at times. I hope you can understand that she never means to offend with her nature. She’s, just… well, Anne.” Winnifred felt hurt on Anne’s behalf. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“And just what is that supposed to mean Gilbert?” She tried not to sound as cross with him as she felt. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“Well simply that she speaks without thinking of others sometimes and-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _“No.” Winnifred cut him off, “I mean what does it mean that I must forgive her for being who she is? There is nothing for anyone to forgive. Anne is a positively enchanting lady. She is by far the greatest thing that I’ve seen in Avonlea today.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Gilbert didn’t seem to know how to react to Winnifred’s praise of his ‘family friend’ and Winnie didn’t think that she could solve all of his ignorance in one night, so she decided to let the topic drop. “Well, Anne and Mr.Cuthbert’s immense radish that is!” She said with a cheeky smile._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
